Dubai Culture & Dubai Traditions

Before visiting Dubai, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with
the cultures, traditions and customs to make your trip a pleasant one
and one where do not end up in an embarrassing situation.

One must remember that Dubai s a muslim country and Islam is the national
faith. One must ensure that offence is not caused and therefore below
are a few of the traditions and customs in Dubai that we would recommend
that you adhere to.

Dress Modestly: It is advised that women do not wear
any skirts that are higher up than the knees. Tops should not be too
revealing as this could cause offence and embarrassment if the police
get involved. In an ideal scenario, an ankle length skirt would be good
and a modest top.

Men are advised to also ensure that they are not in revealing clothing
for example, tops should not be too revealing such as vests etc. Walking
around in no top is definitely a no no (even if its boiling). The only
exception is the beach.

Eating and Drinking during Ramadan: Ramadan is the
holy month where no muslim (from puberty onwards) eats from sunrise
until sunset. To show respect towards those that are fasting, it is
not recommended that you eat openly or publicly during daylight hours
as this may cause offence.

Shaking hands with the opposite gender: As part of
Islamic culture, some women or men do not shake hands with members of
the opposite gender. If you are a man, do not shake a woman’s
hand unless she puts her hand out first. You may notice that instead
of shaking hands, some people may put their hands on their hearts, this
is also like an acknowledgment. To greet someone, it is a good idea
to say, “Assalaam U Alaikum”, which means “peace and
blessings of God be with you”.

Friday Prayer: Friday is generally a holiday in the
middle east and in Dubai. It is a religious day as Friday prayer or
“Jummah prayer” as it is known is offered in the afternoon.

Alcohol Consumption: The United Arab Emirates is a
dry state which means no public alcohol consumption is allowed. Dubai
however is slightly more relaxed within reason. If you are a non muslim,
you will require a special license to consume alcohol at home. Public
consumption of alcohol is illegal and could result in imprisonment or
a huge fine.

Most hotels in Dubai
have bars, nightclubs and pubs where alcohol is publicly available so
this should not be a problem if you enjoy a tipple.